Surf

Recommended Activities

Flat Island is also known as

Popoiʻa Island

Not lifeguarded.

Getting There

Flat Island is located on the Oahu Windward (East) Shore.

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Background

Popoiʻa Island, popularly known as Flat Island, is one quarter of a mile seaward of the boat ramp. Popoiʻa means rotten fish, and may refer to offerings that were left at a former fishing shrine in the middle of the island. The tsunami of 1946 destroyed the remnants of the shrine. Landing is permitted on the island's small sand beach, although Popoiʻa is part of the Hawaiʻi State Seabird Sanctuary. A popular surf site known as Flat Island breaks on a shallow reef on the island's south side.

This description is from John R. K. Clark’s book - Beaches of Oahu (Revised Edition) published and available for purchase from the University of Hawaiʻi Press. We thank John R. K. Clark for providing his beach descriptions for use on this site.